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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I am finally back in NYC after an 8-month absence. As an NYU alum, I consider Manhattan my home. And this is how my home greets me......with lots of rain. Ugly, ugly rain. The kind that blows your umbrella inside out and makes sure your jeans are soaked from top to bottom. Thanks for the welcome, NY! I think it was a great reminder as to why I traded my winter coat for palm trees.

Of course, I did remember to bring my bright, shiny, yellow rain boots that everyone teased me about in Atlanta. Now that we have traveled to the next city, the only person laughing is me. I can walk in puddles while my co-workers have wet socks. However, I made a major fashion faux pas by doing the LA thing of rolling my jeans. After experiencing soaking wet cuffs, I know why those fashionable Manhattanites tuck their skinny jeans into the boot. Rookie move on my part. I forgot how this rain thing works.

I ran through Times Square once called the "Crossroads of the World", but I think they need to rename it the "Crosswalk of the World" now that they have closed down parts of Time Square to accommodate the pedestrians and the constant roadblocks....yes, the tourists, who love to come to a dead stop in the middle of the sidewalk. I know the city is sensory overload and it can be overwhelming, but "MOVE, dammit!" Phew, I think I got my NY edge back, no LA fluff for me. I am back on my home turf. Oh yeah, I got sidetracked. I went and picked up my ticket to see Promises, Promises starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth. 4th Row, Center Seat. NICE.

Holy cow! This show is STILL running??!! Hasn't everyone seen it by now? Mamma Mia plays at The Winter Garden Theatre much like Cats, it is "Now and Forever".

A Times Square staple, Colony Music, a fantastic old-school music store guaranteed to make any musical theatre geek's heart sing. I spent many Friday nights sorting through the sheet music and Broadway posters during my first semester at NYU with my fellow Massachusetts pal, Ken Davenport. Where is he now? Check out his site and be sure to follow him for some of the most valuable and innovative marketing tips around: Davenport Theatrical Enterprises.

The lovely view from my hotel....that's what I get for asking for a corner suite. I forget how New Yorkers live on top of each other. So little space, so many people.

After a jaunt to Times Square and a quick stop at my hotel to change out of my wet jeans, I ran over to Macy's Herald Square to shop for Streamy Awards shoes. I was happy to see the annual Macy's Flower Show was in full bloom on the first floor. It was fragrant and springy inside.

While I didn't have any luck at Macy's, I knew I would find some serious shoes at 10022. The place is so spectacular, it warrants its own zip code, the Saks Fifth Avenue Shoe Department. The 8th floor isn't for the faint of heart. The shoes are works of art and they cost an arm and a leg.

This pair of Jimmy Choo shoes would be the perfect accessory for my Streamy Awards dress. However, the price of the shoes is close to 4 times the price of my dress. So, no Jimmy's for me.

So I picked up this pair: soft, buttery leather, delicate strappy sandals with.....a red leather sole. Yep, I picked up a pair of Louboutins. Oh, I wanted these shoes so badly. They were even better accessories than the Choo's, but darn, they were 5 times price of my dress. Boo! They went back on the shelf.

So, I traded my Louboutins for a cupcake at the best place in the world, Magnolia Bakery, a Sex and the City staple.

And this is my favorite cupcake: chocolate cake with loads of pink frosting and jimmies on top!

Then it was off to the show and a view that will never get old to me: Hello, NY, so glad I am back!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

We are into our fourth week of Weekend Web Watch and we dust off the vault to bring out one of my favorite episodes of 2009 and a three category nominee for the Streamy Awards: Oz Girl. They are nominated for Best Drama Web Series, Best Foreign Web Series, and Best Female Actor in a Drama Web Series for Sophie Tilson. It seems like a million years ago that we shot this episode, but it was in the middle of iTVFest that we sat down with the young and talented cast. They had an absolutely magical week at the festival and everyone wanted to find out what all the buzz was about. So step back to August 2009 with The Web Files and Oz Girl: Oz Girl

Be sure to go back to our Behind the Scenes archives for photos and scoop on The Web Files shoot with Oz Girl: Behind the Scenes.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Yes, this was the Demi Moore version of The Web Files Buzz. I had a fantastic case of laryngitis that kept my voice an octave lower for this episode. So, I wasn't feeling my best, but I was pretty excited about the day we had with Jaleel White and Todd Pellegrino on the set of their new web series, Fake It Till You Make It. Many of you grew up with Jaleel as Urkel on Family Matters as a part of ABC's TGIF lineup and it is always fun to find out where your favorite child stars are years later. Jaleel managed to get a film degree from UCLA, starred/produced/wrote for UPN'sGrown Ups, and made his mark in the web series world in 2009's Road to the Altar. (And I bet you didn't know he also wrote for Family Matters when he was 19 years old.) Not bad, right?

Since many of you asked, I am here to say that Jaleel was a lot of fun to talk to that day....kind, smart, and easy to interview. I think he is an actor who will bring more attention to the web space with his name and his talent. Oh, and the location for a web series didn't hurt. We shot on location, poolside at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica.

Jaleel also brought in the big guns to direct his series. Todd Pellegrino knows exactly what he is doing as an Emmy nominee for ESPN'sMayne Street. Todd brings a NY sensibility to an LA web series that may perhaps end the great NY/LA web series divide. Hopefully, combining the two coasts with all of their talents will prove that we can all just get along. Todd also promised a funny script with this series, so I am looking forward to the cast of characters who are hustling to make in LA in the only way LA "friends" know how. One great thing to point out from my interview with Todd was his focus on making sure all 8 episodes were self-contained based on the way viewers are currently watching web series. It may be a good device for content creators focusing on comedy to utilize in the current web series climate.

I tried really hard to get scoop on the star cameos. While I did get them to drop Wayne Brady's name, new media publicist, Gabriel del Rio, was carefully placed off screen to make sure Jaleel and Todd kept all of the secrets close to the vest. Gabriel is a really good secret gatekeeper, next time, I will have to distract him on set! However, I did learn from Jaleel's recent article in The Huffington Post that UFC Fighter, Rashad Evans, will be making a cameo, so this series is definitely going to have that LA feel of eclectic, quirky characters. Bring it on!

**Update** I don't know how I missed it, but Mathieas kindly pointed out that Debbie Allen is making a cameo as well. Jaleel mentions it in his article. I love Ms. Allen, so that is a huge WIN for me as a viewer.

After our visit with Jaleel, we raced down the street to Truetone Music to interview film and TV composer, Rob Gokee We are going to continue to feature some of the additional elements that go into a making a web series, so I am glad we were able to grab Rob since music is an important component of any story. He's been quite prolific in the web series world as of late with the upcoming SOLO the Series, End Result, and current web series Fallen, under his belt. Rob pointed out some of the challenges of music composition with the obvious time factor being every creator's greatest enemy and friend all at the same time. This segment was also a great reminder about the importance of networking. For Rob, that meant utilizing Twitter to meet and court creators of content. All of his work from web series has come from 140 characters and it was the inspiration for his new book, In The Belly Of The Fail Whale. So, for all of those who dismiss social media, take a lesson from someone who has seen the merits of the whale.Finally, a few public answers to several emails that have come in starting off with my shirt. Since I have been in and out of town so much, there wasn't time to plan my wardrobe for this episode. Thank you to all who wanted to where I got it since I was sick that day and I wasn't feeling my best. At least I know I looked okay on the outside, that was a confidence booster that I needed. The shirt is from Bebe and it is 3 years old, so I am sure it is out of circulation. I also committed a grand fashion faux pas as this is the second time I have worn it on camera. It was actually purchased for a QVC appearance with Stila Cosmetics in 2007. That should also answer all of the questions as to whether I was sick or not for this episode. Yep, all of my travels caught up with me and I came down with the crud. But thank you, Mathieas McNaughton, for thinking it sounded hot because, boy, did my throat hurt.

A big "thank you" goes out to Gabriel del Rio for inviting us to the set of Fake It Till You Make It. He's been a great friend to The Web Files and we appreciate his continued support.

If you haven't checked out this week's episode, watch it here: The Web Files Buzz, Episode 3.Next week brings a sit down interview with one of the belles of the web series ball, Taryn Southern. Be sure to check out our new episode next Wednesday.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Buzz about the Web Series Biz with Kristyn Burtt. This episode features an on-set visit to a new comedy called Fake It Till You Make It, created by and starring veteran actor Jaleel White of Road to the Altar fame. White has teamed up with award-winning web series director/producer Todd Pellegrino from P3 Entertainment in New York City. In Part II, composer and twitter aficionado Rob Gokee talks about his creative immersion into the web world, and his new book, In the Belly of the Fail Whale.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Congratulations to all of the nominees for the Audience Choice Award which was announced yesterday. Ten nominees are up for vote and you will see a few web series that have been featured on The Web Files on the list. Check out their episodes below and don't forget to vote.

I received the press release a bit early as it was sent to media outlets, but it was embargoed until 10:30 AM PST. What caught my eye in the press release was the fact that the venue had changed from the Music Box Theatre to The Orpheum downtown and of course, it was buried way down in the fine print at the bottom of the page. (Yes, I read everything.) It is highlighted in red for you:

About The Streamy Awards

Presented by the International Academy of Web Television, the Streamy Awards recognize excellence in global web television programming for broadband distribution across 35 creative categories, from acting and directing, to editing and special effects. Members of the International Academy of Web Television review shows submitted through a free, public submissions process and vote on the final nominees and winners for each category. The Audience Choice Award for Best Web Television Series is selected by members of the public. Winners of the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards will be announced at the Streamy Awards Ceremony on April 11, 2010 at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles. The Streamy Craft Award winners will be announced at a separate ceremony on April 7, 2010 at the Barnsdall Art Center in Hollywood. Founded in 2009, the Streamy Awards are co-hosted by a consortium of new media companies including Tubefilter News (www.tubefilter.tv) and NewTeeVee (www.newteevee.com), and are produced by Tubefilter, Inc. (www.tubefilterinc.com). For more information, visit www.streamys.org, follow @streamyawards on Twitter and become a Fan at Facebook."

I know The Orpheum was a location the committee originally looked at, so I am glad it worked out in the end. I do not know the actual reason for the venue change though. Is this big news? Well, here's a breakdown of the two theatres:

Music Box Theatre:

Opened in 1926

Hollywood Boulevard location

1,300 seats

The Orpheum:

Opened in 1926

Downtown location

1,976 seats

What's the important fact here? The number of seats. The fact that The Streamy Awards are guaranteeing more bodies in the seats speaks volumes for what is happening at this year's ceremony. More people, more interest, a bigger show.......that is exciting news for everyone involved. So, get ready to celebrate the web space on Sunday, April 11th, 2010. Good luck to all of the nominees and stop by The Web Files on the red carpet!

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Okay, I got a good laugh from watching this episode. How cold was it in LA the day we shot this episode? I am going to guess the high was around 65 degrees and we were acting like it was in the low 50's. (**UPDATE: The high that day was 64 degrees.) Ah, as LA residents, we are such weather wimps. I do remember it being a bit breezy, so maybe that contributed to the "chill" in the air? Either way, I am thrilled we were able to feature Chick. It is a show that you need to add to your list of shows to watch. It has a different flow and rhythm than we have seen in other series. And despite a little detour in the middle of the season which originally was to include an interactive component, stick with this show, it is well worth it!

Creator and star, Kai Soremekun, and Production Designer, Kimberly Huie, brought the fantastic set to us on the shoot. I am not sure if it was clear in The Web Files episode, but we were using the car as a part of the backdrop for the interview. This vehicle plays a huge part of Chick's journey from her bad relationship to her development as a superhero. Inside the vehicle, Kimberly worked really hard to create some visual images and designs that are key to Chick's storyline...from fabrics to props, many of these items are essential to the character. While it was fun to have the traveling set, it was a little crowded on the car bumper, so you can imagine the shooting challenges for this interview!

Kai also gave a terrific shout out to Jonathan Moore of Rowdy Orbit who is doing a great job with his site which gives the spotlight to multi-cultural series. He had emailed me over the summer and he gave me a few series to take a look at. Chick happened to be one of those series. The show caught my attention once again when The Washington Post article came out. Then a few months later, while checking out Compulsions' win at the Indie Soap Awards, Chick pops up again! I figured it was a sign that it was time to give the show its due. (And another sign that persistence is key in making me aware of your series. I love receiving press releases, articles, news, etc. It give us the opportunity to keep an eye on your series and hopefully, work together in the future. So, keep those emails coming!)

Kai and Kimberly have brought some interesting components to the series that we haven't seen before on The Web Files...from a fascinating look at the stunt behind the scenes to producing a green web series. There are lists of ways you can make your production environmentally friendly and some valuable tips to keep the costs down on an ultra-low budget show. So, make sure you head to the Chickwebsite and tell Kai that The Web Files sent you.

One final note, if you are looking for fresh insight on multicultural series and new media in general, make sure to bookmark Aymar Jean Christian's blog, Televisual. It should be on your new media list next to Tubefilter and NewTeeVee.

So, find the inner superhero in you and check out Episode #33: ChickAs always, feel free to comment below, I always love to hear your thoughts.

**UPDATE** Chick love is spreading across the nation. Check out this great post featuring Kai, Chick, and our interview with her: One Funky Mama.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Each weekend until Sunday, April 11th, The Web Files is running our Weekend Web Watch with one of the nominees for the Streamy Awards. This weekend, check out Best Reality/Documentary Web Series nominee, Mommy XXX. We interviewed Demi Delia in her home back in July of 2009 and it is one of my favorite episodes from 2009. So many people are quick to judge the person when they hear about their chosen profession and I don't always think that is fair. Well, I think you will see some new insights and changes with Demi when Season 2 premieres. But, take a closer look at the interview and be sure to check out the article about some of the controversy surrounding advertisers on the Crackle.com website and the power of the Mommy Blogger. It's worthy of a read before you see the interview. Judge for yourself and comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Not sure what is going on here! Me and the boys of A Good Knight's Quest....Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin.

What a fun KNIGHT this was! Oh, I am punny today. Seriously, the red carpet was a blast and I enjoyed hearing about everyone's geeky hobbies. One thing I found interesting was that many of the women mentioned their computers and their use of the internet as geeky. I actually find that quite normal.....or maybe I am a huge geek and I am just in denial. The end of the episode features a terrific montage put together by Sandra and Perry Payne highlighting Brady Brim-DeForest's fencing skills (I was impaled), Michael Tohl'snunchucks, and the engineering brain power of Ariel Lazarus. Needless to say, I learned a lot about my fellow web series peers that night.

It was also a fun night because the Streamy nominations had been announced earlier in the day. Many of the nominees were in attendance, so it was nice to personally congratulate everyone. There was an electricity in the air, so I know that is going to be carried over to the 2nd Annual Streamy Awards on April 11th and also the Craft Awards on April 7th.

Now, if you watched this episode, you know we renamed it The Craig Frank Show. Craig and Brett Register are turning out to be quite the prolific web series producers, actors, and creators. Craig has made an appearance in at least three Web Files episodes, so he may just take over the show by the end of 2010. It is exciting to see what Brett and Craig are up to as they have become quite the comedy team whether it is The Crew, Craig and the Werewolf, or A Good Knight's Quest. Their series, this time around, came as a result of a win at The Escapist's 2009 Film Festival which helped fund the 24 episodes of the series. So you can see while they are creating web series at an impressive rate, they are also taking advantage of the tools out there to take them to the next level.

While many of you know Craig and Brett, don't forget about the 5'2" and Under Club! These ladies are "small, but mighty" and they are forces to be reckoned with. Mark my words, you will be hearing more from Producer/Actress Paula Rhodes, Cathy Baron, and Angie Cole (She arrived late, so we missed her on the red carpet. We'll get her next time.) I was lucky enough to join them for a photo on the red carpet. I miss the cutoff by an inch, so I made Jessica Rose balance out the tiny ones. It's rare that I ever feel tall, so I appreciate the petite ladies for making me look long-legged that night.

Finally, the talented Cathy Baron allowed me to borrow some of her creations from her jewelry line, CB Designs. I wore a couple of amazing rings and a bracelet designed with a Steampunk inspiration. Here's a great clip from the red carpet featuring some of Cathy's designs. Go visit her site, you are going to love it....and tell her KB sent you!

If you haven't seen our A Good Knight's Quest episode, what are you waiting for? Head on over to check it out: A Good Knight's Quest.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

So, the Streamys nominations are out and everyone is gearing up in preparation for the show. At The Web Files, we have some nominee interviews coming your way and of course, we will be covering the red carpet on the big night. I know a lot of the ladies out there are looking for the perfect dress and I will admit, I have hit the gym a bit harder lately. While I am thrilled to be nominated for Best Web Series Host, I have to chuckle because I think at least three nominees said, "Albrecht, Buckley, Diaz, Pollak, and Who?" I am humbled by my fellow nominees because they inspire me to think about the levels The Web Files could reach if we continue to put in the hard work and dedication to the web space like Alex, Zadi (My admiration for Zadi and Steve Woolf can be seen in a prior post.), and Michael. And then there's Pollak, yes, Kevin Pollak. Um, when are you ever going to be nominated against Todd Hockney from The Usual Suspects? That's enough to keep an Oscar Geek like me happy. (The movie won for Screenplay and Best Supporting actor for Kevin Spacey in 1996). Kevin's show has inspired an LA Times article and brought even more attention to the web space. With these four fantastic nominees, I am more than okay with being the "And who?" Congratulations to my fellow nominees!

By the way, I think Michael Buckley needs to know that I am the biggest figure skating and gymnastics geek ever, so I think we should be friends....especially if he wants in on the best (and secret) gymn/figure skating gossip site ever. (Yep, there's a site for everything and it confirms that I am a geek!) So, Michael, I am in NYC before the Streamys, coffee or cocktails are on me if you want to meet up!

**UPDATE** Michael heard my call and he has agreed to meet up with me while I am in New York! I love the power of the internet. I can't wait to dish about figure skating and gymnastics with my new BFF....whom I hear is a pretty decent figure skater himself.

Also, we will be featuring some of our previous Web Files interviews from shows that are up for Streamy Awards as a part of our Weekend Web Watch. Our first weekend showcased Safety Geeks:SVI which is nominated for Best Visual Effects for Tom Konkle, Thor Melsted, and Mike Smith. It is a great episode for the IAWTV members to take a first or second look at since we go on set and check out what it take to build the composites for their show. Check out the episode here: Safety Geeks: SVI

Our next episode for our Weekend Web Watch honors Compulsions in two parts. An interview with creator/writer, Bernie Su, and producer, Michael Tohl. Part two focuses in on the red carpet premiere with the cast, crew, and distributor, Aimee Carlson of Dailymotion. Compulsions garnered 4 Streamy nominations for Best Actor: Craig Frank, Best Writing (Drama): Bernie Su, Best Director (Drama): Nathan Atkinson, and Best Drama Web Series. I first heard about Bernie's idea for a series over Thai food, so it feels like I have been around since the beginning with Compulsions. While it is only Thursday, you can get a head start with our Weekend Web Watch here:Part One: CompulsionsPart Two: Red Carpet

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Web Files host, Kristyn Burtt, sets out on a Red Carpet adventure to talk with the cast members of the Escapist Magazine contest-winning web series, A Good Knights Quest, at their Hollywood premiere: producer Paula Rhodes, director Brett Register, Craig Frank, Cathy Baron, Charlie Bodin and Ben Cain, along with many other web series notables. Beware of swordplay, Ms. Burtt

Friday, March 5, 2010

Episode 2 of The Web Files Buzz is here and it's colorful, fun, and fast-paced. We started out with our very first active set visit. With all of the episodes we have shot, it amazes me that it took us about 33 episodes to make that happen. Now, my work schedule is a bit ridiculous right now, so I know that was a bit challenging for other shows that have tried to make it happen. With the Circus set, the stars aligned and I was in town for more than 24 hours.

We hit the set at Panavision Studios on Day 2 of shooting and it was everything I anticipated it to be: bright, busy, shiny, noisy, and energetic. Heck, it even smelled like a circus with all of the hay splayed about on the floor of the Circus set. We were able to grab the interview on the set with Andrea Ball, the director and producer. Andrea is well known in the new media circles and I have tremendous admiration for the what she accomplished with this project. Along with Sarah Evershed and Olga Kay, you've got three fantastic, strong, smart, and young women under the age of 30 taking charge of their careers with an ambitious, interactive project for YouTube. Can you tell I am impressed?

Of course, I cannot leave out the Ringmaster, David Lawrence XVII. I loved that he offered to audition for the role. I would have killed to have listened in on that phone call. I imagine Andrea didn't even think twice about casting him. David also let us in on some of the SAG new media news. We are working on a future episode to address the unions' role in New Media, so feel free to suggest any particular topics or questions you want us to address in the comment section below.

The second half of the show focused on The Resolve web series premiere at the new media favorite fiesta site, Busby's. Wow, I think there were over 300 attendees there to check out Russ Cootey's production. Impressive numbers and a busy red carpet--maybe a little too busy as we had to dodge actors walking into our shots and other media outlets, but Russ should be proud that The Resolve drew such a crowd. This episode convinced me that it's important for The Web Files to reach outside of the familiar faces of web series and take the opportunity to feature other shows that are making their mark. Russ kept us in the loop for several months, so I was aware of the show, production, and the eventual red carpet. Keep on sending those emails to us. I know Sandra and I both read them and I take notes on specific series. Along the way, I have learned that timing is always a key component to making decisions as to when and how we shoot certain shows. If I ever reply to your email with questions about premieres, finales, distribution dates, exciting news, etc, you will understand why. We want your episode of The Web Files to succeed as timing can make all of the difference and having those dates handy for us is really important.

Finally, I have to thank Blip.tv for their continued support of The Web Files. Week after week, they find a way to feature our show on the home page. They are always available to answer our tech questions and I think their player is one of the best in the business. So, thank you for letting us be a part of the Blip family.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The Buzz about the Web Series Biz with Kristyn Burtt. This episode features an on-set visit with Olga Kays Circus, an interactive short film written and directed by Andrea Ball and featuring acting luminary, David Lawrence. Part II of the Buzz takes place on the red carpet at the premiere launch of the new web series, The Resolve, by Russ Cootey.

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that my time in LA was limited this week. After a two week trip to Chicago, I had a Dallas and Minneapolis journey looming over me. While I was home for a hot minute, I crammed in as much as possible. Here are a few stops along the way:

The red carpet premiere of a new web series, The Resolve. Look for the footage in today's Web Files Buzz episode:

Then a two-day jaunt to San Diego for a fitness informercial shoot with my co-host, Jennifer Galardi. I cannot disclose the product, but I am sure you will see me on a TV screen near you soon.

Then a fantastic on-set visit with the cast and crew of Olga Kay's Circus. This will also be a part of The Web Files Buzz. The set was unbelievable!

While I was there, the tables were turned on me as Woody Tondorf of Elevator interviewed me about our visit. Dueling microphones, but mine was bigger!

Then off to interview Taryn Southern for an upcoming episode. I thought I had a busy schedule, but this talented producer/writer/actress/host has some exciting projects coming your way!

I have no idea what is happening in this picture, but I love the action of it all. On the red carpet with the cast and creator of A Good Knight's Quest......Craig Frank, Brett Register, and Charlie Bodin. This episode is coming your way next week. (Photo courtesy of Mark Burmeister)

Well, that's all I've got. Phew. I wish every week in LA was that much fun. Don't worry, LA, I will be back for a fun filled 3 days mid-month. Yep, 3 days.